Present methods of harnessing wind energy by means of: kites, wind mills, wind turbines, kytoons, airfoils, etc.; use of sails on boat, ship or sledge for traction is known; as is the capture of water energy by means of: water mills, water wheels, turbines; balloons mounted on the sea-bed, floatation based devices, etc.; in converting the kinetic energy of wind into mechanical energy to do useful work: mills to grind flour, pump water, etc. including aero-electric power and hydro-electric power generation. However, some devices like: wind mills, wind turbines may be deficient and self-limiting due to (i) the minimized surface area for capture of the kinetic energy of the fluid medium as evidenced by the limited size and number of turbine blades, rotors, propellers, spokes; sails, etc. that may be affixed to an apparatus; (ii) the extremely short, momentary, contact time between the drive surface and the moving fluid medium providing the kinetic energy lasting a few seconds; and (iii) harnessing the kinetic energy in an ad-hoc randomized manner. Harnessing the energies of mother-nature in quantities huge enough for global consumption by means of utility scale generation plants/or farms; may require different approaches and solutions from conventional methods, systems and apparatus presently available. In particular high altitude wind energy, the Roaring 40's, the Furious 50's, the Shrieking/or Screaming 60's, the Jet Stream (exceeds 92 km/h; up to 398 km/h).
The low altitude sector (800 m to 1 km) of wind energy typically harnessed by wind turbines mounted on fixed towers comprises about 2% of the total global wind power. Whereas 98% of the global wind energy lies out of reach at a height of above 800 meters; and may be extracted by means of airborne wind energy systems operating above this altitude.
Present invention discloses methods of using tethered, Hybrid Aerial Vehicles (HAV-400) which may be transformed from their original airplane shaped bodies into different shapes as configured such as: puffed up and enlarged; Delta-shape; V-shape; etc. Thus maximizing its lifting efficiency; in effect being transformed into an airborne sky-crane; a wind-driven-sky-lifting vehicle capable of harnessing kinetic energy 11 of wind 10 movement; transforming it into green electricity directly; or indirectly when used in tandem with stored potential energy systems for generating potential energies which may in turn be converted into electricity later, as and when needed; such as 100% artificial green hydro-electricity. HAV-400 may also be used as a prime-mover to lift arrays of wind turbines/or carrier-apparatus mounted with wind turbines into high altitude in order to harness much more powerful wind energy. Configured as a glider drone, the engine of HAV-400 wind crane may be powered off at height; utilizing the surrounding wind power to generate aerodynamic lift; to power its internal system of ram air turbines (RAT) 71aa; 71ab; 71ac; for running onboard systems and equipment.
The forward moving force/or kinetic energy 11 of the wind 10 moving over the aerodynamically shaped surfaces of the HAV-400 creates a huge aerodynamic force lifting the vehicle vertically upwards at an angular inclination relative to the tether line 50aa cum reel system 52aa. This upward lifting force pulling on the attached tether line (kinetic energy 11) exerted a tensional force which turned the tether spool 52aa/or line reel drums 52aa. This rotational movement (mechanical energy 12) is transmitted via a transmission gear-box 53ag; and used to power a driven appliance 54ag comprising: a pump/or, compressor to produce potential energy 13/or, a generator to produce electrical energy 14. A multitude of such HAVs-400 and tethers-lines 50ag (drive unit 51ag) comprising thousands/or hundreds of thousands in number may be timed and arranged to take turns to drive the generators 54ag (driven unit 55ag) to produce Gwh/year or Twh/year of electricity 14. The HAV-400 and attached tether-line 50ag comprises drive unit 51ag. The revolving bobbin/or tether spool 52ag/or line-reel-drum 52ag; gear box 53ag cum generator 54ag comprises the driven unit 55ag. A winding motor 49ag may be used to operate the reel-drum 52ag to retract back the tether line 50ag and HAV-400. Towards the end of the power run/or end-of-run (EOR) point 288aa, the HAV-400 may be depowered by changing its aerodynamic wings profile into neutral lift; and then into negative lift; retracted, retrieved and pulled back (free load) to start-of-run (SOR) point 16aa; “ground zero”; where it may operably change its aerodynamic body profile into positive lift; and redeployed.